Vacuum tank



c. s. BURToN 1,772,535

VACUUM TANK Filed April 22, 1929 liz/fj Aug-12, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @a fles 6157x2232?.

W 12 19.30 c. s. BURTON 1,772,535

VACUUM TANK Filed April 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. l2, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES S.- BURTON, OF n PABX, ILLINOIS' VACUUM TANK Application led April 22',

The purpose of this invention is to .provide zin-.improved constructiony in a vacuum tank, adapted to .obviate a defect which. characterizes vacuum tanks in common use deriving, from theliability of the atmosphere inlet valve to be prevented from effective seating by reason of foreign matter, dust, etc., in the atmosphere becoming lodged on or adherent to vthe valve seat and seating facey of the valve. v

A specific purpose of the invention is to obviate this defect inaconstruction designed' to facilitate dispensing Lwith a valve to control the suction v connection,` by providing means for counterbalancing lthe `suction stressonthe katmosphere inlet valve, so that, the atmosphere inlet port may be made lar ye enough to make negligible the vacuum in tV e chamber resulting from continuity of suction when the atmosphere valve is open.v The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated yin the claims.`

In rthe drawings: Y

Figure 1 is a vertical section of avacuum tank embodying this invention.

F igure2 is a top lan vieW of the same. l

Figure?) is a detail portion ofthe structure shown in Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figurel showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a top planvviewA ofthe form shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 1f and i CID l showing a modification following that' shown in Figure 4 with the omission of the` fuel pocket for flushingv the air inlet valve which is contained in the previous forms.

shown in Figure 6'.

Referring tothe drawings-in detail, in all the forms yshown the kvacuum `chamber is seen at A. The outer ormain body member constituting the customary fuellreservechamber isindicated at B; `CY isa cap which closes both chambers atthe top andlsecures them together by means ofanannular stamping,`

D, formed.Zig-zagy ina radial section, lapping and. soldering outside .the body member, B, and lapping inside the-peripheral flange,

Figure. 7` is a top pla-n view rofthe `formr n which may enter with the atmosphere.

1929., seriai No. 356,935.

10, of the'cap, C, under va marginal flange, 11,4 of the chamber, A. The three parts, viz., the n annular stamping, D, which is permanently attached to the chamber, A, the chamber, B,

c chamber, B. Fuel inlet fittingis lseen at F. The yfuel outlet fitting is seen at G, controlled by valve, and a suction connecting tting 1s seen at having a restricted suction ort, e. Atmosphere vent of the chamber,` isf seenat'H.

Referring to the formshown in Figure 1, the cap, C, has an aperture, 20, encompassed byv an interiorly projecting flange, 21, con-` stituting the atmosphere inlet port, and having the atmosphere inlet controlling valve, 22, seating on the edge of the flange, 21.l AThe fuel inlet connection is located immediately adjacent to the inwardly flanged aperture, 20, and said flanged aperture and 'said fuel inletconnection are encompassed within thek tank by a pocket member, 25, secured to the under side ofthe cap, C, saidpocket havingl an overflowaperture, 26, at a level above the seatof the valve, 22.

From this construction it results thatthe fuel'drawn into the chamber from they fuel source by suction due to vacuum in the cham- .ber is discharged into the pocket and lls the same above the level of the valve seat before it overflows through the overflow aperture, 26, for filling the yvacuum chamber, A. The atmosphere inlet valve is thus certain to be wetted and flushed by the incoming liquid fuel in a manner whichwill clear it of any solidl material, dust particles, andthe like,

In ythe construction shown in Figure 1, the

`atmosphere inlet valve, 22, vis arranged to bev seated'interiorly with respect tothe chamber, A, so that the suction due to vacuum in the; chamber tends to hold it open. For counterbalancing,thesuctionv action Aon the valve, a

portionof the wall of the chamber, A, consists of a diaphragm,K, closing an aperture, 30,1 in the cap, C, the diaphragm being mounted on the outer side of the cap by clampin ring, 31, and the diaphragm being provide with a stem, 34, clamped at the center of the diaphragm and extending both above and below the diaphragm, that 1s, outside and inside the chamber.

The valve, 22, has a stem, 23, which extends out through the atmosphere inlet and obtains guidance 1n a spider, 24, mounted on the outer side of the cap. The valve and diaphragm stems, 23 and 34, are operatively connected by a lever, 36, fulcrumed at 32 on a bracket, 33, mounted u on the upper side of the cap, C, and by this ever connection it will beiseen that the suction pull on the diaphragm is o posed to the suction pull on the valve, and tiie valveand diaphragm having approximately the same effective areas, the two arms of the lever being approximately equal, the suction is i 1 substantiallyk counterbalanced. Within ,tliefcham'oen A. the lower end of the diaphragm stem, 34, is connected to a lever, 35, intermediate the ends of the latter, said lever being fulcrumed at one end on a bracket, 35, carried by the cap, C, and depending therefrom. To the opposite end of the lever there iapivotally 'connected for depending therefrom, a float guide stem, 37, on which there is 'mounted for sliding` between upper and lower stops, 38 and 39, a float, 40, the float lguide stem, 37, being itself guided at its lower end in the spider, 41, provided at the fuel inlet leading to the fitting, G. The weight of the lever, 35, and stem, 37, it will be observed, operates on the diaphragm in the direction of the suction, creating a slight overbalance of force for seating the valve.

The operation of this construction may be understood from the foregoing description to the intent that starting with the appara `tus empty and with the vacuum chamber connected by the fitting, E, with a source of suction, as, with the intake manifold of the engine, the atmosphere valve, 22, will be normally closed, not only by the overbalance due to the weight of the lever, 35, and the float stem, 37, but additionally by the operation of the weight of the float, 40, which will be resting upon the lower stop, 39. The vacuum resu ting in the chamber, A, will cause fuel to be lifted from the fuel source and discharged by way of the fitting, F, into the trap, 25, filling the same to a depth for submer 'ng the valve. 22, and then overflowing by tliiz port 26` to fill the chamber, A. Upon the chamber being filled to a depth` causing the float to be lifted into contact with the upper stop, 38, the float will be there halted until thefurther rise of liquid level submergesit so as to develop its buoyant value to the slight degree necessary to overcome the weight of the leverand connected stems, and open the atmosphere valve which, it will be remembered, is substantially balanced as to the suction and independently of the weight of the lever, 35, and :float stem, 37, the slight `to be discharged through the outlet fitting,

G, into the reserve chamber, A, and lowering the float until it is again lodged on the lower stop, 39. The atmosphere valve being open, admits theA atmospheric pressure so freely that `the suction action on the dia hragm is almost negligible; but upon the escent of the float away from the kup r stop, 38,ythe 8;,

slight excess indicated in igure 1 of the area of the atmosphere valve over the e'ective area of the diaphragm may be adapted to cause the atmosphere valve to remain o n until the liquid level fallin still furt er after the float becomes lodge on the lQWer stop, 39, causes the float to be de-submerged and to operate by its weight for pullin down the long arm of the lever, 35, which wi cause the atmosphere valve to be seated, terminating the discharge of the liquid and restoring the initial conditions under which the continuous suction through the suction port, e, will restore the condition of vacuum in the chamber and cause the same to be refilled and the entire cycle of operations to be repeated.

It is, however, considered preferable not to rely entirely on the slight excess area of the valve, 22, over the effective area of the diaphragm for causing the valv'elto remain open while the float is descending; and this excess area may be dispensed with in view of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 as follows The lever, 36, has extending down from its pivot a short arm, 36, between whose lower end and the foot of the bracket, 33, there is interposed a light com ression spring, 36", whic operates for lig t snap action in a familiar and well understood manner, to ensure the completion of the opening movement of the valve, 22, which will be begun by the buoyant effort of the float, 40, u'pon its encounter with the upper stop, 38. But this construction isdesigned more particularly to ensure the valve remaining open when the subsidance of the liquid level lowers the Hoat away from the stop, 38, leaving the valve sub 'ect to the hydrostatic pressure due to the i slig it submergence of the valve in the liquid content of the trap pocket, 25, plus the i This snap action 1t willbe seen is adapted. i

to operate similarly for ensuring that the 30 inversas valve,` 22, remains closed when the float rises olthe lower' stop, 39, while the chamber is filling,l .though its service for this purpose is not 1n fact; required, since at that stage the o\- erbalance'providedv by the weight of the stems andwleverras pointed out, adequately.y ensures the 'seating of vthe valve until opened by the buoyant-effort of the float encounteringxthe stop, l38.

'The presence of the snap actionv makes necessary a lslightv increase inthe size of the oatboth for. increase' of. buoyancy and for increase of'weight; but this increase is very slight and warranted by the greater certainty which is thereb ail'orded by the proper operation in the oat-descending phase oi' the cycle of operation of the apparatus.

Referring to the modified form shown in Figuresi and 5, in which thecorresponding vand substantially identical parts are indicated by the same reference characters as in Figures 1, 2 and 3:-The modification con sists in arranging the atmosphere inlet valvel for opening outwardly so as to 'be held seated 251 by the suction, the connection with the diaphragm being arranged as in the form shown in-'Figure 1 for opposing the suction-caused action of thevalve, and substantially counterbalancing these opposed actions. This change necessitates a change in the iioat connection,

which must be arranged to cause the buoyant effort of the float to operate inwardly on the diaphragm and outwardly on the valve instead of outwardly on the diaphragm and inwardly lon the valve as in Figure 4.

For this difference of operation, the iiange, 21x, corresponding to the flange, 21, of Figure 1, is reiiexed at its inner end `so as tofproject outwardly, as seen at 21, so that the valve, 22, may seat exteriorly with respect to' the port, 20, bounded by the reverse flange, 21Y; and the lever 36", corresponding to the lever, 36, of Figure 1, is fulcrumed midway between its ends, as seen at 361, on a bracket, 33", and has the diaphragm stem, 34, connected to Ait at one end, as seen at 36W.

krIn other respects the construction shown inFigures 4 and 5 is the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that it is not necessary to provide anything corresponding to the snap action shown in Figure 1 for ensur- K' ing the valve remainingopen while the floatl is descending, because when the valve is opened by'thebuoyant eiiort of the float, the suction 4pull on the valve for seating it is almost entirely. lost, whereas the diaphragm is still subject to lsuction pull inwardly due tothe remnant of vacuum which will exist in the chamber'with the atmosphere valve wide open, by reason ofthe uninterrupted suction operating through the restricted butalways open suction port, e; and this suction pull on the diaphragm will be rendered adequate to offset and exceedfthe'wei htof` the valve stems and lever, 35, and ho d the valveiopen,

by 1 :making f the 1; eiective .area of the 'diaphragmi slightly` greaterfithan that .of the valve-as. indicated in Figure 4.

. In' this form it is. convenient to provide adjustment to compensate for. unavoidable va-v riation. in the-weight and buoyant value lof di'erenttfloats, andsimilar slight unavoidableidiierence in the weight of the stems and lever connections, to ensure the properl and necessary and not excessivezoverbalance for seating the valve, 22; and such provision4 is' shownsconsisting insextending the lever, 15, to the right of its connection to the valve stem, 23, `and threading it at `such extendedy part forreceiving':a'smallv weight, 50, which is screwed ontol it and may be. adjusted to greater or less distance from the fulcrum of thelever andsecured inadjusted position by a -set screw, 51.

In the form shown in Figures 6 and 7, the

pocket for trapping liquid to flush the at mosphere inlet valve and its seat is omitted. This omissiondispenses with the need of the inwardly projecting flange which is necessary `to provide the seat for the valve within the trap pocket which is shown in the previous forms; and accordingly the atmosphere inlet port,`20x, is formed in theilat surface. of the cap plate, C. The omission of the trap pocket dispenses with the necessity ofconnecting the float with the atmosphere valve and the diaphragmconnecting lever by way of the diaphragm stem, as in the previous figures; and the float stem, 37, is accordingly connected directly to the atmosphere valve, 22, and extended thereabove for connection with the lever, 36, by which the diaphragm and valve are connected for opposing the suction action on the diaphragm `to the suction action on the valve.

The operation` of this form is in all respects the same as that of the form shown in Figures 4 and 5, except as tothe flushingV of the atmosphere valve by the liquidtrapped in the pocket.

This application is a continuation in part of m pending application Serial No. 341,- 585, lled February 21, 1929, from which cer` tain of the following claims borrowed 'with a view to abandoning' said pending applica-` tiony andcovering thesubject matter 1n'l this vll() relatively to its seat; operating connections between the movable wall member and the valve arranged for opposing to each other the suction action yon the valve and wall member 5 respectively, and means operated by a change of level ofthe li uid content of the chamber for openin and c osing the valve at predetermined liig and low levels respectively of said liquid content.

; 12. In the construction defined in claim 1, the movable wall member and the valve and the o erating connections between them being dlmensioned and arranged for substantially equalizing the opposed actions, and

1| auxiliary means for relatively slight pressure on the valve in the direction for seating it.

3. In the construction defined in claim 1, the operating connections between the movze able wall member and the valve, being mounted outside the chamber.

4. In the construct-ion defined in claim 1, the operating connections between the movable wall member and the valve comprising a as lever of the first class, the means operated by change of liquid level comprising` a fioat, and means by which it is suspended from the arm of said first class lever which is yconnected with the movable wall member.

an 5. In the construction defined in claim 1,

the operating connections between the movable wall member and the valve comprising a lever of the first class, the means operated by change of li uid level comprising a float,

8l and means by w ich it is suspended from the arm of said first class lever which is connect-- ed with the movable wall member, said suspending means comprising a rod on which the float is'arran ed to be slid up and down o by the changes of liquid level, and stops on said rod positioned for encounter by the float at predetermined limits of said up and down sliding movement.

6. In the construction defined in claim 1,

the movable wall member being a flexible diaphragm, and the operating connections between Vthe same and the valve being a lever of the first class.

7 In the construction defined in claim 1,

5o the operating connections between the valve and the movable wall member being mounted exteriorly of the vacuum chamber.

8. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising in combination with a vacuum chamber having suction connection, fuel mlet and fuel outlet, and having an atmosphere inlet porband a valve controlling said port, with means in the chamber for opening and closing said valveoperated by change of level o of the liquid content of the chamber, the chamber having in the upper part a pocket adapted to hold li uid and arranged to overficw into the cham er, the fuel inlet connection being arranged for delivering the fuel into said pocket, and the atmosphere port being arranged to open in said pocket below the overflow level thereof; whereby the valve seat and seating face of the valve are flushed and kept moistened by the liquid fuel.

9. In an apparatus for the purpose indicated comprlsing in combination with a` vacuum chamber having fuel inlet, fuel outlet, suction connection and atmosphere inlet, a valve controlling the atmosphere inlet, the chamber having a limited portion of its wall which is exteriorly exposed to atmospheric pressure movable inwardly and outwardly without opening the wall, and operating connections between the atmosphere inlet valve and said movable wall portion arranged to oppose the suction stress on the valve due to vacuum in the chamber to the suction stress on the movable wall chamber due to the same cause, the chamber having in the upper part a pocket adapted to hold liquid and arranged to overflow into the chamber, the fuel inlet connection being arranged for delivering the fuel into said pocket, and the atmosphere inlet port being arranged to open in said pocket below the overflow level thereof.

10. In an apparatus for the purpose indicated, in combination with a vacuum chamber having fuel inlet, fuel outlet, and suction connection, an atmosphere inlet and a valve controlling said inlet seating interiorly of the chamber, whereby suction in the chamber tends to unseat it, the chamber having a limited part of its wall movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the chamber without opening the wall, and operating connections between the atmosphere inlet controlling valve and the movable wall member arranged to oppose the suction stress on said movable wall member to the suction stress on the valve, the chamber having in the upper part a pocket adapted to hold li uid and arranged to overflow into the cham er, the fuel inlet connection being arranged for delivering the fuel into said pocket, and the atmosphere inlet port being arranged to open in said ocket below the overflow level thereof, where y the valve seat and seating face of the valve are fiushed and kept moistened by the incoming liquid fuel. r

11. In the construction defined in claim 8. the pocket having its overflow above the high l liquid level of the chamber, whereby the atmosphere inlet port and valve seat may be at all times abovel any liquid content of the chamber except that of the pocket.

12. In the construction defined in 'claim 8... the chamber wall having an vinwardly prf. jecting part in which the atmosphere inlet.

port is located, the pocket being arranged encompassing said inwardly projecting part.

13. In the construction defined in claim 8,`

the atmosphere inlet port being formed in the top of the chamber and the pocket being suspended from the chamber top under and encompassing the inlet, i

lll)

14. In the construction defined in claim 8, the top of the chamber having an interiorly flanged opening affording access of atmospheric pressure to the chamber, the atmosphere inlet valve being arranged to seat on the flange, the pocket being suspended from the top of the chamber encompassing the flange and having its overflow slightly about the level of thevalve seat on the flange, valve-operating connections extending out through the flanged opening and comprising a member which extends back into the tank for connection with the valve-operating means.

l5. In the construction defined in claim 8, vthe chamber wall having an interiorly flanged aperture of which the flange protrudes into the pocket and affords seat for the inlet valve, the valve operating connections comprising a stem of the valve which extends out through said flanged aperture and comprising also a member which extends back into the ychamber -for connection with the valve operating means.

16. An apparatus for the purpose indii cated comprising in combination with a vacuum chamber having suction connection, fuel inlet and fuel outlet, and having an additional opening, and encompassing said additional opening an interiorly projecting annulus whose aperture constitutes an atmosphere inlet port; a valve controlling said port, and means in the chamber for opening and closing said valve arranged to be operated by change g 'of level of the liquid content of the chamber, the fuel inlet connection being arranged to deliver the fuel in such relation to said interiorly projecting annulus as to flush the seat of said valve.

17. The construction defined in claim 16 having a pocket formed on the. wall of the chamber, the atmosphere inlet portand valve seat being in said pocket and the fuel inlet connection being arranged to discharge in said pocket. y

18. vInthe construction defined in cla-im 16, the annulus and opening which it encompasses being appurtenant to the topwall of the chamber, and the arrangement for causing the inflowing fuel to flush the valve yseat consisting in a pocket carried by said top wall surrounding the annulus and the discharge of the fuel inlet connection.

19.` An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising in combination with a vacuum chamber having a suction connection, fuel inlet and fuel outlet, and having an atmosphere inlet port, a valve controlllng said atmosphere inlet port with means in the chamber for opening and closing said valve operating by change of liquid level of the liquid content of the chamber, the chamber having in the upper part a pocket arranged to receive liquid and to discharge into the chamber, the fuel inlet connection being'arranged for deliverin fuel intofsaid pocket, the atmosphere port icing arranged to o en in said pocket at a lower level than said uel inlet.

20. An apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising in combination with a vacuurn chamber having a suction connection, fuel inlet and fuel outlet, and having an atmosphere inlet port, a valve controlling said atmosphere inlet port with means in the chamber for opening and closing said valve operated by change of level of the liquid content of the chamber, the chamber having at the upper part a pocket adapted to receive liquid and -arranged to overflow into said chamber, the fuel inlet connection being arranged for delivering fuel into said pocket, and the atmosphere inlet port being arranged to open in said pocket below the overflow level thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set mty hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 15th day o April, 1929.

CHARLES S. BURTON. 

